Friday, May 27, 2016

DC Rebirth #1: More an Essay Than a Review

This preview art is a big step in the right direction.

So everyone is having their say about DC Comics’ Rebirth
special, and why should I be any different? Like everyone else, I picked it up
on Wednesday, and like most other people, I think I had a mostly positive
reaction to it.

MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD

So basically, Geoff Johns uses Rebirth to bring back Wally
West, a much-missed character that never really appeared in the New 52. (I
guess a more TV-ified version made it in, but I haven’t read too many DC books
for the last few years so I’m not sure.)

Anyway, Wally has been trapped in the Speed Force for the
past few years of comics time and he’s been unable to return to the DCU. In
addition, like the characters we’ve actually been reading about, he de-aged
about 10 years, although Wally still remembers the crazy stuff that happened to
him.

Wally spends the issue bouncing around the DCU and either
peeking in on characters who are about to get a push or actually making brief contact.
From this, we know that Batman, the Legion, the JSA, Blue Beetle(s), Dr. Fate,
the Atom, and more are all going to be featured by DC Comics. Even better, we
see that they are all looking a lot more familiar, as Johns’ talented crew of
artists undo a lot of the horrid New 52 design work and make these heroes look
more like how we all picture them.

Some of the more standout moments include Batman realizing
there are three Jokers, all of which seem pretty different. Aquaman and Mera
are getting engaged to be married. This is a big deal because one of the well-publicized
rules of the New 52 was that no heroes could be married, because then they’d be
“too happy.” If you didn’t care for the armored, extra-bland New 52-Superman,
you’re in luck, because this issue checks in with a Lois Lane-married, older
Superman who seems a lot like the one we lost before Flashpoint. Heck, he even
has Jonathan Kent with him (the Rebirth-era Superboy).

It also comes out that Wonder Woman has a twin brother. I’m pretty
sure he gets namedropped as “Jason,” so my money is on Jason Blood (Etrigan the
Demon’s alternate self) being Wonder Woman’s bro. It doesn’t really hurt either
character and could be fun.

As Wally makes heartbreaking contact with his closest
relations, it seems everything is doomed, but Johns does a great job concluding
Wally’s dangerous state. I found myself very invested in Wally’s fate, even
though I haven’t cared for DC Comics at all over the last few years.

After Wally is reunited with an old friend, Wally starts
going on and on about how someone was WATCHING. How someone brought DARKNESS
into the DCU and took away all the hope, love, and light that used to make
heroes so great. Is that someone publisher Dan DiDio or Geoff Johns? Because
they are the ones who created all these abysmal stories for the past 10 years.
Nope, it’s way more meta than that.

It seems that the Watchmen’s Dr. Manhattan, after the close
of that magnificent series, infected the DCU. We even get some recycled Watchmen
dialogue about how Dr. M wants a chance to create some life himself. So Dr. M
either CREATED the DCU, or he heavily influenced it for the past 10 years or
so. That would make Dr. Manhattan, not the actual DC Comics publisher,
responsible for aberrations like Identity Crisis, Countdown to Infinite Crisis,
Flashpoint, and the New 52. That is one ballsy move!

Clearly, DiDio and Johns were influenced by those “adult”
stories in the mid-80s. Watchmen truly did change the course of the books DC
Comics published. But in the world of the DCU, Dr. Manhattan actually floated
out of his world and into the main publishing line. How insane is that?

So Dr. Manhattan is in the DCU. And I don’t think he came
alone. It seems pretty clear that Johns has been planning this awhile, because
Dr. Oz from some recent Superman stories sure reminds me of Ozymandius. Who
else laughed at non-funny things besides the Joker? The Comedian, maybe?

Lots of folks have expressed dismay about the reuse of the
Watchmen characters, but to be honest, for me, that ship sailed when DC
published the Before Watchmen stuff a few years ago. DC Comics is clearly
desperate. With their sales plummeting and interest in their comics waning,
they had to do something big. And Rebirth qualifies. This is a grand, desperate
attempt to court long-time readers and convince them that they can still read
about a recognizable DCU.

And you know what? For me, it worked. The characters looked
like they were supposed to. They sound like I expect. The mission statement of
hope, love, and cooperation in the face of danger certainly sounds like what I
want from DC. So I’m going to give them a chance. I’m planning on getting Batman,
Superman, Blue Beetle, and Aquaman. I might be convinced to try JLA too, if I
hear good things about Bryan Hitch’s writing.

[I asked my 11-year-old daughter, a pretty big comic fan, to
read the issue and see how much of it resonated with her. She had zero
understanding of any Watchmen bits, but overall still liked the book. She liked
both Flashes, Blue Beetle, and mentioned that Superman needed to shave off his
beard. She also liked the art in almost every chapter. She seems most excited
about the upcoming Blue Beetle comic, proving that she truly is my daughter.]

So you did it, DC. You got me to give you another chance
after I was long gone. I really don’t want you to mess it up.